Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced a plan to fast-track commercial driver’s licenses for military veterans who drove heavy trucks, saying the move would help replace noncitizen truck drivers removed under his administration’s licensing crackdown.
The proposal follows a fatal Pennsylvania crash involving a driver from Haiti that killed State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr. Trump cited the crash while calling for tougher action against noncitizen commercial drivers.
Newsweek reported that the administration has already rescinded 28,000 licenses and is pursuing about 194,000 additional immigrant commercial license holders. Earlier this year, a Transportation Department rule barred many asylum seekers, refugees, and DACA recipients from obtaining or renewing commercial licenses, putting nearly 200,000 drivers at risk of losing eligibility.
Supporters say the policy improves road safety and creates opportunities for veterans with military driving experience. Critics argue military truck experience does not automatically translate to civilian commercial driving and warn that removing immigrant drivers could worsen labor shortages. Federal data cited by Reuters showed foreign-born drivers make up about 16% of U.S. truck drivers.
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